SADC Secondary School Essay Competition 2025 For Students (USD$ 3,250 Prize)

Applications are now open for the SADC initiative, which promotes innovation for economic growth and stability, as highlighted at the 44th Ordinary SADC Summit in Harare, Zimbabwe. Apply Below: 

When is the Application Deadline:

The application deadline for the SADC Secondary School Essay Competition 2025 For Students is 31st May 2025.

Tell Me About The SADC Secondary School Essay Competition 2025:

Since its inception, SADC has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to peace, stability and security in the region through the adoption of several instruments aimed at ensuring peace and stability, as a precondition for socio-economic development. The topic is derived from the theme of the 44th Ordinary SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government held in the Republic of Zimbabwe, Harare on 17th August 2024, which is;“ Promoting Innovation to unlock opportunities for sustained economic growth and development towards an Industrialised SADC”. The theme seeks to recognise that innovation is a fundamental instrument with significant potential to drive priority sectors of manufacturing, mineral beneficiation and agro-processing to enhance the industrialisation and economic growth of the SADC region. 

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Which Fields are Eligible?

All fields 

Type:

Contest 

Who can Apply For The SADC Secondary School Essay Competition 2025?

Also, all secondary school-going students from all 16 Southern African Development Community (SADC) Member States are welcome to participate in the Competition.

How are Applicants Selected?

In marking the essays, Adjudicators expected participants to demonstrate a clear understanding and complete analysis of the topic, showing originality of ideas and expression and an awareness of the expected length of the discussion, scope, and audience. Even though there was no mark allocated to the accuracy of language, per se, Adjudicators still expected participants to write essays which showed clear organisational and logical structure and demonstrated mechanical accuracy of the language. 

Submission Instructions:

• The essay must contain a maximum of 1000 words and a minimum of 900 words in English, and a maximum of 1200 words and a minimum of 1100 words in French and Portuguese.
• Essays that do not comply with the permissible number of words will not be considered.
• A complete word count must be provided at the end of the essay. Learners must provide references for their work where necessary; however, references do not contribute towards the word count of the entry.
• The preferred format of citation is APA.
• To facilitate simple sequencing, each answer must be accompanied by the question at the top.
• Learners are cautioned against using the bullet point format for their work.
• ALL entries must be typed and submitted in electronic versions in Microsoft Word and in hard copies.
• Entrants should sign and initial each page of the hard copy document to make sure that they have not been altered.
• All essays entering the competition should be in one of the SADC working languages, i.e. English, Portuguese and French.

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Which Countries Are Eligible?

The following countries are eligible:

Angola, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Eswatini, Botswana, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, United Republic of Tanzania, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Where will the Award be Taken?

Namibia

How Many Awards?

Not specified

What is the Benefit of the Award?

Additionally, the benefits of the Essay Competition is as follows:

The prizes at the regional level are as follows; 

• 1st prize = USD1500 
• 2nd Prize = USD1000 3rd Prize = USD750 

The top 10 winners will all receive certificates signed by the SADC Executive Secretary. 

The top three (3) winners travel to the Member States hosting the SADC Summit to receive their prizes during the official opening ceremony. 

The prizes at the national level are as follows; 

• 1st prize = USD500 
• 2nd Prize = USD300 
• 3rd Prize = USD200 

The top 3 winners will all receive certicates signed by the Minister of Education and the SADC Executive Secretary.

How Long Will the Award Last?

Unspecified 

How to Apply:

To apply, visit the webpage below. 

Visit the Award Webpage for Details